Apparently a couple of years ago Marvel hired writers Joshua Oppenheimer and Thomas Donnelly, who have also written or contributed to Cowboys and Aliens and the forthcoming Conan movie, to write the script for Magical Medic Stephen Strange, one of their more eclectic properties.

It seems that the script has now been turned in and that Marvel are actively searching for a director, having a shortlist in mind. The script is being forwarded, as they try to seek someone 'to oversee continued development.'

The report suggests also that Edgar Wright has turned in his Ant-Man script. It's not clear if either or both of these will form part of the cinematic Marvel-verse that includes Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and next year's The Avengers (though as Ant-Man is usually a member of the latter group, he may well be).

Who are you hoping is on the Strange-Shortlist, for either directors or stars?

Wow, cool! Doctor Strange is one of two Marvel characters whose movies I've been eagerly waiting for (the other is The Sub-Mariner, which I guess poses certain difficulties, such as how to depict a guy running around in swim trunks without it looking a tad farcical ).

Shortlist: Bradley Cooper and Johnny Depp.

Our current Bruce Banner, Marc Ruffalo, is more the Doctor Strange type to me. In an ideal world, he'd have that role and Edward Norton would still be Banner.

How about casting some other characters? Scarlett Johannson should be Clea, not the Black Widow. Umar = Angelica Huston or Meryl Streep. Dormammu should be voiced by James Earl Jones, and if he's not available, Dan Castellaneta.

If he hadn't been Tony Stark first, he'd be at the top of my list for this role! But the way it stands, we need somebody who is like him and completely not like him, which describes Johnny Depp perfectly.

Yes a "Doctor Strange" film has been in some form of development for the last few years and was mentioned a couple years ago in Fienge's list of potential projects. There is only one man for the job in my eyes and that's Patrick Dempsey!